Although their offense started off slow, Auburn went on to get 11 hits, including three consecutive two-out RBI doubles in the bottom of the fifth in a 6-1 win over South Alabama on Tuesday night.
"The three doubles in a row were really big," said head coach Sunny Golloway. "We haven't strung extra base hits together like that all year, so that was big for us."
South Alabama's Davis Knapp hit a leadoff double off of Daniel Koger to start the game. A groundout followed by a wild pitch scored Knapp to make it 1-0, but Koger got out of the first inning with back-to-back strikeouts.
Auburn's first hit came with a leadoff single by Blake Austin in the bottom of the fourth. Keegan Thompson followed with a single and Jordan Ebert hit a one-out single to load the bases. Brett Binning then popped up to second base and Anfernee Grier grounded out to third to end the fourth inning scoreless while leaving the bases loaded.
After Koger allowed a one-out double, Trey Wingenter took over on the mound in the top of the fifth. Wingenter walked the only batter he faced before Jay Wade came out of the bullpen to replace him. Wade forced a fly ball out and then Damek Tomscha made a diving catch in foul territory to escape the inning.
Auburn went through their entire lineup and took the lead in the bottom of the fifth.
Damon Haecker led off with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Austin delivered with a two-out RBI double to tie it. Thompson followed Austin's lead by hitting a two-out RBI double to score Austin and take the 2-1 lead.
Pinch hitter Blake Logan kept it going with another RBI double to make it 3-1. Ebert and Jackson Burgreen walked to load the bases but Grier popped it up to leave the bases loaded again.
Wade pitched 1-2-3 sixth and seventh innings and retired every batter he faced to earn his fourth win on the mound for Auburn this season.
Auburn added two insurance runs in the sixth when Tomscha hit an RBI single to score Ryan Tella. Later in the inning, Logan hit a two-out RBI to bring Tomscha home.
Auburn's sixth run came in the bottom of the seventh when Ebert scored from third after a wild pitch.
Trey Cochran-Gill pitched a four-pitch eighth inning and Terrance Dedrick pitched the ninth inning to clinch Auburn's victory.
"Winning is always fun," Austin said. "We feel like we've been playing some good baseball, we just haven't been able to finish games. There's no panic over here."
This weekend the Tigers will play at No. 24 Arkansas looking to win its first SEC series in four weekends.
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